The Lonely SeeSaw
by Sorato Muse
Summary: In a park, by a seesaw, two people start to feel their friendship develop into something more. A story of friendship sprinkled with love. Pre-02 events. (Sorato).
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! This is a pre-Adventure 02 story. I wanted to explore how Yamato and Sora slowly came to find feelings for one another. It takes place roughly one year before the events in 02.**

 **Thank you all for reading!**

 **Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Digimon, nor any of its characters.**

* * *

 **Chapter One**

The nocturnal solitude of the little park existed in complete contrast to the usual daily bustle of children playing. It was not a strange sight to walk home after tennis practice and watch as parents took advantage of the last hour of sunlight to give their children a few moments of recreation.

But at this hour, with the moon shining brightly and children nowhere in sight, the park appeared almost a completely different world; A new dimension where silence reigned instead of the steady soundtrack of a child's laughter.

But this is just as she wanted. Just as she needed.

* * *

The music still played in his ear, almost as if residues of that day's rehearsal had been captured by the air around him, allowing him to listen, again and again, to the band's effort to become a synchronized and unified sound.

It had been a longer than usual practice, having ended well past the point of sunset. By the time they clambered out of the rehearsal studio, night had greeted them instead of the usual golden sunset. But it had been necessary. A new gig was fast approaching them and they still could not play the difficult sections smoothly.

So deep into the music was his mind, that he did not notice the direction that his feet were taking him until he happened to take account of his surroundings. Instead of the apartment building he called home, he had wandered to the little park on the corner block of his street.

To find himself there was truly not much of a surprise. It had become kind of a habit to seek the quiet tranquility of the park after a particularly rough day. Perhaps it was to find some peace after so much chaotic sound. Perhaps it was because, subconsciously, he had no desire to find himself in the usual emptiness of his home. Strangely enough, even if he happened to be alone in that park, his solitude never seemed as pronounced as it did at home. Almost as if the stars and the moon, and heck, even the trees, acted as his companions.

His blue eyes settled on the red seesaw that lined the side of the playground. With quiet footsteps, he approached them.

As a child, the see saw had been his favorite playground feature, and, after his parents divorced, it quickly became his least favorite. In fact, he grew to detest it, feeling as if he was being mocked by it. The fact that he could not play it without another person only served to painfully remind him of his little brother's absence and his mother's abandonment.

But now, in retrospect, he perceived the see saw as a peculiar thing. The only toy in the playground that could only be played with two people.

And when there were not two people to play with it, it was a useless toy.

It was a lonely see saw.

Maybe just like him.

* * *

She opened her eyes and lifted her head when the sound of footsteps disturbed her quiet contemplation. She had been enjoying the gentle wind blowing through her red locks as she reminisced over the events that occurred that afternoon. The same events that led her to seek sanctuary in the playground in front of her apartment building.

Her eyes settled on the tall figured clothed in her school's characteristic deep green blazer. Although she could not yet perceive his face, his manner of walking, strangely enough, was something so completely familiar to her that by the time his golden hair was shined upon by the lamppost, it only served as confirmation to her suspicion.

She held back the urge to call out to him and instead settled on watching him. He appeared to be in a pensive attitude as he slowly approached the see saws. She feared she might disturb him if she made her presence known.

From her position in the park's bench, she could see how a series of emotions played upon his face. It had always appeared ironic to her that she could distinguish his emotions, despite the efforts he placed in guarding them. In the soft lighting of the lamppost, she thought she could perceive that an aura of sadness surrounding him.

Watching her friend's sadness being featured on his face and worried that perhaps something serious was troubling him made Sora forget her own problems. It had always been her instinct to push aside her troubles. With practice, it had become secondhand nature to learn to ignore them. She figured that if she could not solve those problems, why should she dwell on them?

But her blonde friend's troubled expression was something that she could not so easily ignore.

With a soft voice, she called out his name.

"Yamato-kun"

The sound of his name being called out and carried by the wind broke through his gloomy daze. Surprised to have his solitude disturbed, he turned in the direction of the sound.

There, sitting on a bench not too far from him, was the bearer of the crest of Love. Seeing her surrounded by such an unusual setting surprised him. He was so accustomed to seeing her at school, either for a quick greeting before heading to class, or during the lunch break, where they would occasionally eat together with Taichi.

"Sora!"

His voice revealed his surprise, but her answering smile put him at ease. Had it been anyone else, Yamato would have probably felt annoyed at having his sanctuary of solitude intruded upon. Maybe it was due to their shared journey in the Digital World, but Sora's presence was not at all bothersome to Yamato. Unexpected yes, but definitely not bothersome.

Turning away from the seesaws, he made his way towards her. When she made room for him on the bench, he sat next to her, finally realizing how much that afternoon's rehearsal had tired him out.

"Long day?" she asked softly, observing as he gently leaned his bass against the side of the bench.

Releasing a deep breath, Yamato leaned his head back and observed the night sky. "You could say that."

A pleasant silence took over the scene, broken only by the sound of the wind as it ruffled the leaves of the trees surrounding the park. In the distance, the faint sounds of traffic could be overheard.

Yamato turned to regard the girl to his right. Her presence in the park, at such an hour of the night, confused him. He knew from previous bits of conversation that she had tennis practice after school almost every afternoon. He also knew that at times she would practice ikebana with her mother. But nothing he could think of explained why she had sought the park so late in the night.

He considered asking her why she had left her house at this time, but when she turned to return his gaze, he could see in her eyes that something was troubling her, but as usual, she used her smile to hide her troubles, much as she did in the Digital world.

But he saw past that smile, and although he felt the urge to ease her worries, he knew from knowing her throughout their adventure that she was not someone who readily spoke of her problems.

Finally, she tore her gaze from his, her smile slowly disappearing.

"They are peculiar things, are they not?" She asked softly.

Yamato had to turn his gaze in the direction of Sora's to realize that she was speaking of the seesaws. Seeing them reminded him of his previous gloominess.

"What makes you say that?" His semblance was completely serious.

Sora stifled the desire to smile. Only with Yamato could she have a serious conversation about the peculiarity of seesaws. She treasured that quality in him.

Drawing her knees towards her chest, Sora wrapped her arms around herself and rested her chin on top of them.

"I remember always wanting to play on the seesaw as a little girl." She explained, and although she was looking towards them, Yamato knew that her gaze was focused on her memories. "When I was younger, we used to move around a lot, mostly due to my father's research. While we moved, I did not have much chance to make lasting friendships so I never really got to play on the seesaw, no matter how much I wanted to.

"I could get on the slide, on the merry-go-round, on the monkey bars…" She went on, a note of longing lazing in with her words. "But never on the seesaw."

Her story struck a familiar chord deep inside him, flooding him with the realization that they both might share a similar lonely experience with the seesaw.

She went on. "In truth, I saw you regard them when you first walked into the park and it made me remember.

Another person might have felt discouraged with the blonde's silence, but not Sora. She knew from the intensity of his gaze that he was listening to her story. Another quality of Yamato she appreciated. No one ever seemed to be as good at listening as him.

Just as she came to accept his silence as a reply, his voice cut through the night, taking her completely by surprise.

"Takeru and I used to play constantly on the seesaw." He revealed, his head once again reclining to look at the sky.

"It was our favorite thing to do together in the park. Of course, we could not go very high, as he was still so young, but I always remember his laughter as we played." His face broke into a small smile as he remembered the memory with fondness, emphasizing the handsome planes of his face.

A warm feeling slowly started spreading inside her. Yamato, she knew, hardly ever spoke of his parent's divorce throughout the long months in the Digital World. Clearly, it was a subject that he was still very sensitive for him. That he had even mentioned a story from those days meant a lot to her, for it meant that he trusted her enough to open up.

"After my parents divorced, we went our separate ways. And I was never able to play on the seesaw again. " . All trace of his smile disappeared, and Sora could not help but mourn its absence.

Tearing her gaze from his face, Sora also lifted her eyes skywards.

"It seems that the seesaws have made many children feel lonely." She contemplated aloud. "Or at least us two. But I daresay that Takeru also missed getting on the seesaw with his big brother. But here we are, years later, and I think we have turned out quite alright, despite any loneliness."

He looked at her then. The way she so innocently made everything less daunting, just with her words. She was the only one able to do that. Perhaps that was the reason why all the chosen children perceived her as a figure of safety, even him.

But it went beyond that, for him. Throughout their adventure, he had grown to develop a sense of kinship between the two, most likely due to their similar journeys in the digital world. Both had been the only ones in the group to have questioned the nature of their crest, believing themselves incapable of being the bearers of their respective crests. Both had fallen victims to their doubts and insecurities and ended up trapped in the dark cave.

He believed that she was the reason the group had separated after Taichi's disappearance. They had traveled as a unit for nearly two months after he left, but once she left them, the group did not remain together. Soon after, they broke apart.

He never truly gave his friendship with her too much contemplation. They had gone from being complete strangers to members of a close knit of chosen children, but he knew that he did not feel so at ease with Koushiro, Jyou, or Mimi as he felt with Sora.

"Sora." He called out to her gently.

Hearing her name being mentioned suddenly, Sora turned her gaze to him. Meeting the intensity of his blue eyes, Sora was momentarily transfixed.

"Yes?" She whispered.

"Why are you here?"

Upon hearing his question, Sora frowned and looked away. The events of that afternoon came rushing back into her mind.

"Did something happen?"

She could tell from his tone that his question stemmed from concern. But once again, her instincts to keep her troubles to herself prevailed. She did not want to be seen as weak. Besides the fact that she valued her privacy, she did not wish to burden people with her troubles, particularly the blue-eyed digidestined who probably dealt with his problems alone.

Lightening her tone, Sora sent a smile his way.

"Nothing happened. I just wanted some fresh air."

Frowning at her obviously fake smile, Yamato persevered.

"Fresh air at this hour?" His tone was as disbelieving as his gaze.

Feeling cornered, Sora proceeded to turn the tables on him.

"You are here right now, aren't you? Why can't I do the same?" Her tone was more defensive than angry, but it still succeeded in discouraging him from making any further inquiries.

Releasing a deep breath, Yamato was surprised to realize that he felt hurt. He did not want to wonder why Sora's words managed to disturb him. At that moment, he could only just assess that they did.

"You are right." He told her, his hands reaching for his guitar case. "I am sorry for asking." Standing from the bench, he swung the case over his shoulder and grabbed his school bag. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow at school."

Before he could even take his first step, he felt a hand wrap around his wrist, gently pulling him to a stop.

"I am sorry." Sora's apology cut through the night. When she saw how Yamato went from being friendly to guarded, she realized that her reaction had hurt him. Yamato had opened up to her about his childhood in a moment of rarity, and she had responded by shunning his kindness away.

"In truth, I came here wanting to be alone." She confessed, still holding on to his wrist "I had an argument with my mother that did not end very well."

" And although I wanted to be alone, I was glad when you came. I am sorry I responded that way"

She lifted her cinnamon colored eyes towards him, and Yamato could see the honesty in them. She let go of his wrist, slowly leaning back to the bench.

Still feeling her hand on his wrist, Yamato took his base from his back and once again took a seat next to her.

"It's alright." He spoke to her, truly meaning it. "I probably would have reacted the same way."

Sora managed a small smile, grateful for his understanding.

A swift breeze ran through the park, causing the swings in the car to gently sway and rearranging some of Sora's hair around her.

"It's because I am stubborn." She explained gently as she ran a hand through her locks. "If Piyomon were here, she would probably have told me that I overreacted. "

"About your mom?" He asked.

She nodded in response, letting out a deep breath.

"She and I have never been good at communicating with one another. In the end, most of the time we end up misunderstanding each other."

He leaned back, remembering how she mentioned something similar in the Digital World regarding her mother.

"Meeting Piyomon helped me realize my mother's intentions were for my well-being, and our relationship improved." She continued. "But it appears that we are still having some difficulties."

He watched as her face seemed to sadden at the thought. In the end, he had to ask.

"What exactly happened?

She smiled ruefully. Regretfully.

"In retrospect, it seems like a silly thing to get angry about." She mentioned in a low voice, looking out towards the scenery of the park. "She asked me to attend a two-week Ikebana camp during the summer vacation."

Yamato lifted an eyebrow in reaction to her words. Two weeks doing Ikebana might seem like a pretty boring thing to do, but it certainly wasn't terrible enough.

Seeing his expression, Sora elaborated.

"The problem is that it takes place when my father is having time off from his research, which means that if I go, I won't get to see him. Even though I told her this, she still insisted that I go." She started playing with the fringes of her shirt, a nervous habit of hers that he noticed while in the Digital World.

"In the end, she doesn't seem to care that I hardly get to see my father. She would prefer that I spend two weeks rearranging silly flowers rather than spending time with him" At this, she angrily pulled her hands from her shirt before wrapping her arms around herself. "I walked out before she could say anything else, and I ended up here."

Yamato had listened as her voice betrayed her bitterness and sadness.

"I see." He said gently after a brief silence. He felt that her reaction was to be expected, given her desire to see her father.

"I don't think you are at fault for reacting the way you did. Before anything else, you are a daughter who simply wants to be able to see her father."

She looked at him then, and for a moment he admired the depths of her ruby eyes.

"But," He cut in, picking up a random leaf that had fallen into the bench. "While I cannot blame you for running out in frustration, perhaps all you need to do is tell your mother exactly how you feel about not seeing your father."

Seeing her unsure expression, he proceeded to further assure her.

"She _is_ your mother, Sora. And remember that she loves you. Everything she says she likely does it thinking about what's best for you. I don't believe your mother will force you to do something you truly don't want to do." He added softly, looking directly at her.

He watched as realization lit a spark in her eyes. They held their stare for a few seconds, only the sound of a distant traffic horn tearing them from the brief moment.

Sora looked away, considering the musician's words.

She could trust Yamato to give her a completely logical perspective, and she knew that his advice was sound. Her mother _would_ listen to her if she made her feelings know.

"You are right." She told him truthfully. "I rushed out in anger instead of coolly dealing with things. I am afraid it has become kind of a habit to run away when we argue."

She shuffled her feet in the dirt. "I guess I still have to mature a lot."

Yamato smiled at that comment, for he already considered Sora to be mature for her age.

"Don't worry too much." He told her. "Your relationship with your mother is just something that you are more sensitive about. We all have something that is especially difficult for us to deal with."

Sora listened to his words, briefly wondering about _his_ insecurities and admiring Yamato's wisdom. He certainly was not a typical teenage boy who worried about senseless things.

Turning to him, Sora grabbed his arm and smiled brightly at him. "Thank you, Yamato-kun. I came here looking to solitude for comfort, but you have once again helped me sort out my feelings." She alluded to the time in the cave. "I think, thanks to you, I am ready to face my mother."

Yamato could not help return her smile. "There is no need to thank me. You always helped and looked out for everyone in the Digital World. I am happy I could help you this time, for a change."

Together, they made their way out of the little playground, their pace a slow and steady gait. Now that the mood had been cleared, they talked about lighter things as they neared Sora's apartment building. As they approached the entrance to her building, Sora turned to her fellow digidestined.

"Thank you again for your words, Yamato." She told him as they faced each other.

"Don't worry about it, Sora." He insisted. "You would do the same for anyone. Now go and see your mother. I am sure she must be worried for you."

Sora nodded, the look of resolution on her face made him want to smile. For a second she looked like she wanted to say something, but she seemed to change her mind.

"I'll see you tomorrow at school." She finally said.

He nodded his affirmation, and she turned to enter her building. He watched her go until she disappeared behind the entrance, wishing her luck in her confrontation with her mother.

He placed his left hand in his pocket and turned in direction to his own apartment building, thinking about the events in the park. He had walked about ten steps when he heard his name being called out.

Confused, he turned around only to see Sora running slightly to catch up to him. He walked a few steps back and met her in the way.

"Did something happen?" He asked, a look of confusion drawing across his face.

"No." She shook her head along with her words, looking briefly around her before her eyes settled on his face.

"I…" She started, her hands once again reaching for the fringes of her shirt, betraying her nervousness. "I wanted to ask you…" She continued. "Why were _you_ in the park?"

Her question reminded him of his previous loneliness and of his desire to not yet face his probably empty home. He looked away, looking for the right words to answer her question.

Meanwhile, Sora observed how that aura of sadness once again seemed to surround the bearer of the crest of friendship. The desire to help him dispel it was strong within her, but she had no idea what was causing it.

"What I mean is…' She looked to the ground as she felt herself stumble over her words, regretting the fact that she might have done more harm than good by asking him. "….When I saw you enter the park, it seemed to me like something was troubling you. I wanted to know if _you_ were okay."

Gathering the courage to look at his expression, she observed that while he did not seemed angered by her question, he did have a guarded expression around his eyes.

When he finally answered, his voice matched the guarded expression of face, but she could see that he was being honest with her. As honest as he allowed himself to be, anyways.

"I sometimes go there after long rehearsals. It helps me wind down before heading home." He explained, looking out to the cars passing in the street. "Nothing is wrong, so you don't need to worry." He added, finally turning to look at her.

She nodded slowly, briefly wondering if he would even reach out to any of them if something _was_ troubling him. She knew that Gabumon, as his digimon companion, most likely was his go-to when he felt troubled. But now that they were disconnected from the Digital World, and with the gates opening only in rare occasions, she worried for him.

After all, if she had learned anything during her journey in the Digital World, was that no one should have to deal with difficulties by themselves. Not when they had caring friends to help lighten the burden. Furthermore, she realized that while he had learned to understand that he had the unconditional friendship of each Chosen child, he still did not truly know how to lean on others for help.

She offered him a small smile, hoping to offer him any reassurance that he might need. "I hope one day I can do for you what you did for me tonight."

"You are a good friend, Yamato-kun." She added, in case he ever doubted, and she felt happy when she saw some of his guarded expression lift.

His answering smile was reward enough for her.

Again, they said their goodbyes and started walking in their respective directions. When she made it to the entrance of her building, Sora turned around.

Looking at Yamato's retreating back, she could not help but feel that there was something that _had_ bothered him that night. Stepping into her building, she hoped to herself that his father was able to provide some sense of comfort to him when he got home.

It was while she was waiting for the elevator to come down that she remembered little snippets of conversations about his father. Mainly that his job often kept him away from his life at home. That meant that Yamato probably came home to an empty apartment more than a few times a week.

Stepping into the elevator, her heart beat with sadness for her friend. She hated the thought of him being greeted by no one after a long day away from home. Although she knew that he was a strong and capable person, she knew that he was probably affected by it some days.

 _Maybe that's why he seeks out the park from time to time._ That was her thought as she stepped out of the elevator at the fourteenth floor of the building.

Before entering her apartment, Sora Takenouchi realized how to help her friend: if he was escaping loneliness, then she could provide the company he needed.

Not too often, as she knew that he was still a person that valued his privacy.

But perhaps from time to time, she could meet him.

On that bench in the park. By the lonely see saw.

* * *

 **I hoped you all enjoyed reading this. Everyone's efforts during tumblr OTP week encouraged me to put some time aside to write this fic. This story was inspired by Yamato's song "Hitoribocchi no See Saw". It is my personal belief that he penned this song with a certain red head in mind. I wanted to write this as a back story to the song. If you haven't read the translated work, you can do so here: .**

 **Although I initially planned this to be a one chapter story, I have decided to add to it. I love imagining how Sora and Yamato grew to love one another, so I will do it through this story.**

 **Thank you for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

This story was begging me to write it. Unfortunately, because I was going through my last semester of school, I had to prioritize.

One thing about the tone of this fic: I meant it to be a touching moment between two friends. I wanted to create a peaceful setting that would allow them to become unburdened by daily events, memories, troubles, etc. And in that peaceful moment, I want to make them discover each other. Little by little.

 **Song:** You Are Everywhere-Big Baby Driver

* * *

Two weeks passed by until their second encounter.

Odaiba had been experiencing an unusually rainy week, but that afternoon the sun had chosen to shyly show itself. For Sora, it had been a blessing, for it meant that the tennis court had finally dried and practice could resume.

Tomorrow would be the day that marked her first true tennis match in her career. Despite the fact that she started the sport barely a year ago, her natural affinity for physical activities had ensured that she was a fast learner. As a result, that summer she had been promoted to the senior tennis team, meaning could participate in inter-school tennis matches, something that as a junior tennis team member, she had not been able to do.

But the rain had spoiled any chance of practice for the last few days, and instead of feeling confident and ready for the upcoming match, she felt unprepared and extremely out of practice.

That was the reason she found herself walking home much later than usual. After regular practice, she took advantage of the empty tennis court to practice her serves and backhand. She worked until she felt sure that her backhand felt smooth and she could serve with accuracy. She felt tired, but also more physically ready for tomorrow's match.

Mentally, however, she felt unfocused. Nervous. The thought of going home to deal with her anxious thoughts about the next day did not excite her.

Her pace slowed as she reluctantly turned to go into her apartment building. Just as she prepared to go into the double doors of the building, an idea popped into her head. Gazing across the street to the playground entrance left her with the urge to see if certain blonde digidestined was to be found there.

With this new purpose to in mind, Sora turned around and headed towards the group of trees that marked the entrance of the playground.

Upon passing the grove, she felt disappointment course through her upon seeing the empty bench that she and Yamato had shared.

It seemed that they would not coincide that night.

With shoulders slumping, she came to a full stop. Her hope of receiving some welcomed distraction had disappeared. And not only that. Since she had resolved to become a form of companionship to her friend, she had not been able to carry out her plan, which left her feeling unresolved.

Releasing a defeated sigh, she turned to leave, but before she was able to take the first step, she caught movement from the corner of her eye.

Turning her head, her eyes were met with the sight of Yamato entering from the east entrance of the playground. He walked in his usual manner: hands in his pocket and head slightly bowed, gaze resting on the ground in front of him.

Her heart suddenly gave a lurch of happiness.

* * *

He had been thinking of his bands latest rehearsal recording as he walked the familiar entryway to the playground.

Their next gig was less than a week away, but he could finally say that they had achieved good synchronization of their instruments. That achievement left him feeling satisfied, for it was the most difficult piece they had ever worked on.

It was a piece Yamato had written inspired by his journey in the Digital World. Although he did not yet have much experience composing, he had worked harder on this one to create a more varied sound. Now that they had succeeded in bringing the sounds together, all they had to focus on was perfecting the quality of their playing.

In short, the song should be ready for its debut next Wednesday.

Heading towards the bench, a shift in the wind made him lift his gaze from the pathway. Looking up, he felt a jolt upon finding the red headed digidestined of Love standing some distance from him. Without being aware, his feet came to a complete stop and all thought disappeared from his mind.

They stood watching one another, the wind blowing between them, as if caught in the serendipitous atmosphere around them. The surprise in their expression mirrored in one another. Gradually, the moment passed and time resumed its race, allowing them to respond to one another's presence.

"Yamato" She greeted, one hand waving lightly in the air.

He gave her a small smile, the look of surprise disappearing from his face.

With the shock of their impromptu meeting fading away, he now realized that she was wearing her tennis uniform, meaning that she must be coming from practice.

"Long day?" He asked her, gesturing with his head towards her clothes, recalling that she had asked him those exact words when they last met there.

"You could say that." At those words, both teenagers shared a smile, both realizing that their dialogues had completely flipped.

With the twilight rapidly fading around them, Yamato and Sora took a seat at the bench near the set of see saws. For both, it was truly the first time in two weeks that they properly interacted with one another. Although they normally shared lunches with Taichi from time to time, the past weeks had been busy for the both of them.

"Practice went long?" He asked her curiously.

Gripping her racket case in her lap, Sora nodded in response.

"At least for me it did."

His eyebrow arched in wonder. Why only for her?

She noticed his expression, and elaborated.

"I have a match coming up, but the rain has spoiled afternoon practice. I took some extra time to work on my serves." Her gaze was on the racket, which she gripped tightly.

Yamato did not find it necessary to ask her if she was feeling nervous. The white-knuckled grip by which she held her racket betrayed her feelings, despite the calm tone of her voice.

"When?" He asked her, watching as she finally released her grasp.

She released a loud sight. A sigh of resignation.

"It's tomorrow afternoon." She told him, the last vestiges of twilight fading completely around them. In a moonless night, only the light posts were able to illuminate the features of the park.

A moment of silence settled between them. Sora welcomed it, feeling at last that some of her nerves were diminishing. Suddenly, her companion broke the silence with his voice.

"Congratulations"

Incredulous, Sora turned her head to look at the blonde sitting next to her. Why was he congratulating her?

Seeing her confused expression, Yamato turned to look at her, her confused ruby eyes colliding with his calm blue one. "You have only been playing for a year," He started, still holding her gaze with his. "And now you are good enough to play matches. It seems to me that you are talented at playing, and that you enjoy the game."

Because he was watching her, he was able to see as realization wormed its way into her face. In his chest, the affinity he had always felt for this particular digidestined flared up. With some effort, he fought to dull it, as was his habit, and tore his gaze from hers.

Sora could not help but smile. Though cryptic in its delivery, sora was able to understand Yamato's message. He was reminding her to simply have fun and enjoy the game.

With his words, the last of her nervousness melted away and her body relaxed onto the backrest of the bench. Feeling suddenly playful, she leaned slightly towards him and dedicated him a smile.

" _Message received!"_ She proclaimed. In her playful mood, she switched from her native Japanese to English.

Upon hearing her cheerful assertion, Yamato turned to her. He could not help but return the smile that she was giving him, becoming affected by her playfulness.

" _Good"_ He returned, using the same English, though his tone was much softer than hers.

Looking at him from the side, she admired the way the light from the lamp posts traced the contours of his profile.

It was a masculine profile.

In that moment, Sora could see how time was slowly shaping her friend into the man he will someday be. His face no longer held so much of the boyish features that were familiar to her since the Digital World.

Was it the same with hers? Was she changing as much as the people around her?

Was time running away with them?

Because he was watching her, Yamato was able to perceive how the cheerful smile slowly dissipated from her face, to be replaced by something akin to nostalgia. Frowning, he leaned closer, as if nearness would help him understand her sudden mood change.

A moment caught them. Sora watching him and him watching her. The cool, nocturnal breeze blowing softly about them.

His lips prepared to form the question he wanted to ask when a sudden burst of light filled the night, ripping them from their moment.

Thunder answered only a moment after.

The two exchanged a quick glance, understanding dawning that their conversation for the night was over.

In silence, the bearers of the crests of Love and Friendship gathered their respective belongings and exited the playground side by side. Due to the threat of imminent rainfall, their pace as they headed home was faster than normal, but they still conversed about events at school and assignments that were due the next day.

The first drop of rain fell just as they were arriving at the doors of Sora's apartment building. Upon reaching it, Sora turned towards Yamato, ready to give him a quick send off before the rain could fall more rapidly around them.

Glancing around her, she extended her left arm and watched as drizzles of rain fell on her palm. "If this continues, I might not have to play a match tomorrow…"

Feeling the rain begin to fall with higher potency, Yamato focused on Sora. "But if you do end up playing, remember to just enjoy it"

Sora nodded, giving him a grateful smile. "I will."

"I am sorry I won't be able to watch you play," He apologized "My band is practicing every day this week."

She could see the regret in his eyes. "Don't worry, Yamato-kun. I think having people watching my first game will make me even more nervous." She smiled shyly. "I haven't even told Taichi about it."

Yamato hated the warm thrill that flared up when she said his name. Once again, he fought to extinguish that feeling.

A drop of cold rain fell on his cheek, distracting him from his internal battle.

Watching him, Sora's protective instincts took hold. "Yamato," She began, her eyes glancing worryingly around them "It looks like the rain will only get harder."

"You better head home." She added, looking up at him.

He nodded. He had chosen not to pack his umbrella when his father told him of the predicted sunny day. Now it looked like he might have to make his way home under a torrent of rain.

Turning back towards Sora, he sent her one last smile. "See you tomorrow, Sora." He began, just as the drizzle turned into rain.

Glancing at Sora one last time, Yamato turned to go only to feel a hand wrapping around his arm. Confused, Yamato turned back to her.

She sent him an apologetic look. "Hold on"

Puzzled, Yamato observed how Sora placed her racket on the floor and begun digging around her school bag. After a moment, she pulled out a red umbrella.

With the umbrella in her hand, Sora closed the distance between them and proceeded to place said umbrella on his hand. Her hand gently grasping his for a moment. "I have a feeling you will need this." She explained.

Dazed, Yamato could only nod his gratitude, feeling how the warmth from his hand inexplicably travelled to his chest, alighting a fire that took too much effort to abate.

Once again, Sora watched as Yamato begun his walk home. In her heart, both gratitude and happiness reigned. In the end, it had been Yamato who once again brought comfort and wise advice for her troubles, but she was grateful for the opportunity of running into him.

She could only hope that she would be equally as capable of helping him when he needed it.

The rain around her gained more potency, forcing her to seek shelter inside her building. Through the glass doors, she was able to see how a bright red umbrella opened in the darkness of the night.

She smiled. Maybe in some small way she had already helped her friend.

As the rain once again fell on the city of Odaiba, people hurried home in attempts to escape it. But in the streets, a tall, blonde youth walked calmly, seemingly impervious to the rain falling around him. In his hand, a bright red umbrella kept him dry, and in his chest, a steady, growing fire kept him warm.

* * *

This is a fic of realization.

Sora realizing how she feels when she is with Yamato.  
Yamato realizing what Sora means to him.

Thank you for reading! Please review if you enjoyed it! It is very uplifting to find people writing back to me.

Next time, It will be Yamato who needs Sora sweet counseling!


End file.
